SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INFORMING VIRTUAL AGENT RECOMMENDATION

• US 20140164312A1
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lynch, Timothy, Harper, Kenneth S., Radebaugh, Carey
• Granted Patent: US 9,659,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/18 using natural language modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for use in connection with at least one virtual agent. In some embodiments, at least one virtual agent is programmed to: identify a relationship between at least two persons; and make a recommendation for the at least two persons based at least in part on the relationship between the at least two persons.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor programmed by one or more executable instructions to implement at least one virtual agent, the at least one virtual agent being programmed to:

identify a relationship between at least two persons; and

make a recommendation for the at least two persons based at least in part on the relationship between the at least two persons.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recommendation relates to at least one aspect of a social gathering to be attended by the at least two persons.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the recommendation relates to a location for the social gathering to be attended by the at least two persons.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recommendation relates to a type of activity to be engaged in by the at least two persons.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two persons comprise a first person, and wherein the at least one virtual agent is programmed to identify the relationship between the at least two persons at least in part by accessing information stored in a user profile of the first person.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual agent is programmed to identify the relationship between the at least two persons at least in part by accessing information collected from at least one social networking service provider.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual agent is programmed to identify the relationship between the at least two persons at least in part by querying at least one third person.

8. A method performed by at least one processor implementing at least one virtual agent, the method comprising acts of:

identifying a relationship between at least two persons; and

making a recommendation for the at least two persons based at least in part on the relationship between the at least two persons.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the recommendation relates to at least one aspect of a social gathering to be attended by the at least two persons.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the recommendation relates to a location for the social gathering to be attended by the at least two persons.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the recommendation relates to a type of activity to be engaged in by the at least two persons.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least two persons comprise a first person, and wherein identifying the relationship between the at least two persons comprises accessing information stored in a user profile of the first person.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the relationship between the at least two persons comprises accessing information collected from at least one social networking service provider.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the relationship between the at least two persons comprises querying at least one third person.

15. At least one computer-readable medium having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for implementing at least one virtual agent, the method comprising acts of:

identifying a relationship between at least two persons; and

making a recommendation for the at least two persons based at least in part on the relationship between the at least two persons.

16. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the recommendation relates to at least one aspect of a social gathering to be attended by the at least two persons.

17. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the recommendation relates to a location for the social gathering to be attended by the at least two persons.

18. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the recommendation relates to a type of activity to be engaged in by the at least two persons.

19. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least two persons comprise a first person, and wherein identifying the relationship between the at least two persons comprises accessing information stored in a user profile of the first person.

20. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein identifying the relationship between the at least two persons comprises accessing information collected from at least one social networking service provider.